


Helened

by abyssgazesalso



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:34:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23159938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abyssgazesalso/pseuds/abyssgazesalso
Summary: There was a sound.Sharp, it layered over the other sensations, the expected ones - hard bones striking his flesh, ripping sensations of both blade and bullet, but this. The longer he tried to ignore it, the more it gained in strength.A knife, he could fight and hope to escape - this was inescapable.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	Helened

It always seemed he had one of two options, lately, each shittier than the last. Sitting back, taking a minute to think it over never helped much. Neither did just leaping in balls first.

He sniffed, and leaned in. 

“Okay. I’ll take it,” he said.

The balding, pockmarked salesman nodded approvingly and said, “Good man, good man.” He pushed away from the dingy glass counter, sniffed in sympathy. Rooted around in some cardboard boxes below the register. The one pole of florescent bulb flickered overhead with a plaintive whine. Probably threw the fresh bruises on his face into relief.

“Ah! Here we are, sir. Just as described, eh?” He dropped the box heavily onto the counter, inches from Frank’s trigger finger. He had the fleeting thought- this one better keep his mouth shut. Better yet, “You got any of that kid porn, better say it now.”

The shop keep looked back at him nervously at that, but shook his head in the negative. 

“If you’re lying to me… I will find it.” His finger tap, tap, tapped on the glass. “You’ll know when I do.” 

The man crumbled instantly, “A-ah, yes. Sir, there’s… nothing, sir.” Sweat visibly broke out on his forehead. 

Neither of them acknowledged that the man knew exactly who Frank was. Didn’t need to, far as Frank was concerned. He lifted the flap of the box, moved a police scanner aside, looked at the other. 

Alright.

He dropped a roll of cash on the counter. They didn’t bother counting it out. Frank hefted the box in one arm, left a hand free to hover over what they both knew was a gun. He nodded once toward the back, and the salesman nodded frantically back. 

“Y-yeah, yeah, this way, sir.” He led the way back past the counter, looked back fearfully at Frank once, before he pressed down on the iron bar of the door, opening the emergency exit. No alarms went off, though, as suspected. The man scurried out of the way, held the door open for Frank. 

Neither of them said their goodbyes. Neither of them said Frank would be back, but they both knew the possibility lay otherwise. 

Frank waited for the door to click shut after the man before making his way back to a rusted pick-up truck at the mouth of the alley. He dropped the box in the truck bed, rubbed his nose before taking a set of keys out of his pocket. Then he opened the passenger door, and stared. 

Red was looking alright. Still out cold, a good thing. A small rivulet of blood ran down his lip from his nose. Frank sighed at the sight, pressed a palm to Red’s coat pocket, dug around until he found a tissue. 

No response from Red at the intrusion, and Frank wasn’t surprised. He’d lost his temper a bit, was all. Red’d be just fine. Frank wiped the blood off, pocketed the tissue. Took a step back, and shut the door, a satisfying clap echoing off the alley walls. 

Yeah, he’d be fine. Frank made his way to the driver side, got in. The truck roared to life, a squeaky fan-belt nagging him as he pulled into traffic. Mid-day traffic was at it’s usual pace. Frank adjusted the baseball cap on his head, lowered it a bit, waited at a few lights. It was a sunny day.

He eventually turned a corner, and Red listed in the seat. Well, the choice was made now, no use bellyaching about it. Didn’t stop Frank from grumbling in the silence as he reached a hand over to push him upright again. He could feel Red’s heart pick up under his palm, and murmured under his breath.

“Don’t make me do it, Red.”

Another red light. Somehow, the fates or circumstance or whatever decided to step in and give Frank a goddamn break, because Red just settled in again under Frank’s hand. 

Alright. He waited a long moment. The light turned green, and he pulled forward. Gently pat Red’s chest again before withdrawing the hand. 

“Alright, Red.”

They made it to the outskirts of the city by the time Frank had to push him upright again.

**Author's Note:**

> Eh. I'm posting my writing online!! I hear it's a thrilling experience. (Because what we all need during a worldwide pandemic is some thrills, amiright? ) This needs a better title... 
> 
> More chapters to come.


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